William purling



(No Model.)

W. PURLING. FOLDING FENGE.

.No. 492,614.. Patented Feb. 28, 1893.

THE Nanms FEfEns cb. purrmm'no, WASHINGTON, n c.

UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM PURLIN G, OF ROANOKE, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN BIRD, OF SAME PLACE.

FOLDING FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 492,614, dated February 28, 1893. Application filed November 11 1892. Serial No. 451,659. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be itknown thatl, WILLIAM PURLING, a subjectof the Emperor of Germany, and a resident of Roanoke, Virginia, have invented certain Improvements in Folding Fences, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to so construct awire fence that the same can be readily folded or rolled up for transportation or storage, but when unrolled and set up in place can be readily. converted into an extremely strong and rigidly braced structure, and this object I attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1, is a side view of a portion of a wire fence constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2, is a sectional plan view of part of the same. Fig. 3, is a perspective view of one of the links constituting part of the fence; and Figs. 4 and 5, are views illustrating certain modifications of the invention.

\Vhat may be termed the stakes or pickets of the fence consist of looped or bent wires forming opposite vertical bars or legs a, a, connected at the top either by a simple bend or by any desired form of ornamental bend or twist,'and the successive pickets and also the two bars of each picket,are connected bytwo or more rows of links each of which consists, preferably, of a wire bent at the center, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, so as to form a loop b, and two runs of wire, each run of Wire forming first a reverse loop d, adjacent to the loops b, then an eye f, adjacent to the loop (2 and then, after extending for the distance between adjoining pickets, or between the bars or legs of each picket, finally terminating in an eye g.

In putting the fence together, the eyes f,of

the first link B, receive the bar a, of the first picket A, the bar a of the same passing through the eyes f of the second link E the eyes g of which are bent around the bar a. of the picket between the eyes f of the first link B. In like manner the eyes f of the third link B receive the bar a, of the second picket A the eyes 9 of this link receiving the bar a of the first picket and the eyes f of the fourth link B receive the bar a of the second picket, the eyes 9 of this link receiving the bar a, of said picket and so on. The looped portion b, d of each link projecting beyond the eyes f, of the same, thus receives and overlaps that portion of the next link which adjoins the eyes g, of the same. Normally the loops d are so far apart that theysimply overlap without confining this portion of the ad jacent link, as shown at the right hand side of Fig.1, and when the parts are in this condition, each link is free to move independently of the others, and the fence can be rolled or folded, as shown for instance in Fig. 2, the bars a, a,of the pickets serving as pivots for the links. W'hen,however, it is desired to set up or secure the fence, after it is extended, the links can be readily locked one to another by simply pressing toward each other the loops d, of each link, where they project beyond the adjoining link, these loops when thus pressed together engaging with one face of the link, While the loop 19 engages with the opposite face of the same, so that no movement of one link independently of another is permitted, hence the fence will be rigidly retained in the position to which it was adjusted preparatory to the locking together of the links.

Although, as before stated, the preferable form of link is that which is shown in Figs. 1 to 3, and which I have just described, the main feature of my invention may be attained by the employment of links difiering in construction from said preferred form of link, for instance, in Fig. 4, I have shown a link consisting of a single run of wire, having at one end a single eye g and at the proper distance therefrom a single eye f, the Wire extending beyond this eye f to form a loop 01' and terminating in an upturned end or half-loop b, which when the fence is fitted together bears against one side of the next link, the loop 01 serving for the reception of a locking key 2' for bearing against the opposite side of the link. In Fig. 5, on the other hand I have 1. The combination of the pickets of the fence each having two bars with links having eyes for the reception of the bars of the pickets, each link also having aprojectin g portion for engagement with part of an adjoining link, whereby the successive links may be locked together, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the pickets of the' fence each having two bars,with links having eyes for the reception of the bars of the pickets, each link also having a projecting portion looped so as to overlap and engage with a portion of an adjoining link, substantially as specified.

3. The Within described link for a wire fence, the same consisting of a piece of Wire having a loop at or about the center, each run of the wire beyond said loop having a reverse loop,

an eye adjacent to said loop and another eye at theouter end, substantially as specified.

4. The combination of the fence pickets, each having two bars, with connecting links, each consisting of a Wire bent to form a central loop, each run of the Wire having adjacent to said'central loop, another loop in a reverse direction, and also having two eyes formed upon it at a distance apart, said eyes receiving the bars of a picket or of adjoining pick ets, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM PURLING. Witnesses:

A. J. 001mm, JOHN BIRD. 

